


be easy my love, for it is so natural to be reckless.

by sexybigbrain



Category: The Wilds (TV 2020)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Humor, My headcanons, Post-Island, Sickfic, idk what to tag, it’s normal life in their shared apartment basically, they live together, toni loves shelby so much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:06:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29215392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sexybigbrain/pseuds/sexybigbrain
Summary: with shelby falling ill, toni finds it in herself to take care of her with the presence of the girls in tow. a slightly humorous, quite fluffy fic with the help of my favourite girls.or; shelby’s sick and toni takes care of her.
Relationships: Shelby Goodkind/Toni Shalifoe
Comments: 8
Kudos: 171





	be easy my love, for it is so natural to be reckless.

**Author's Note:**

> hehehe hi! haven’t written in a while but i love this show so much and i love toni and shelby a lot. i wanted to write this idk why but it was fun to do so and flowed quite well; let me know what you think of it and i hope u enjoy reading it as much i did writing it. it’s basically a compilation of my headcanons and if my exposition within doesn’t do it justice basically the girls are post island and just living their lives.

A stern knock rattles Fatin from her thoughts whereupon she lies leisurely on the couch and scrolls aimlessly on her phone. The sound of eggs sizzling meanders the LA apartment, Dot looming over the stove as the spatula scrapes either side of the pan. 

“You got that?” Dot asks, barely glancing in Fatin’s direction.

“You’re like, so much closer to the door than me, Dorothy... You’re my live in muscle, surely this is your department and not mine?” The now influencer retorts, continuing her disingenuous scrolling.

“Don’t disrespect your chef or-“ She cuts herself off making a husking noise with her throat, curdling a quantity of saliva in her mouth, as if to spit in Fatin’s breakfast. 

The girl sighs, “Fine... must I do everything around here?” She queries aloud, making Dot scoff in the process. As if the girl even did anything around here.

“Yo!” A low cadence calls. “Someone gonna open this fuckin’ door?” 

“Coming! Jeez keep your basketball shorts on” She quips, recognising the voice as Toni’s.

Since the island, the girls had assimilated into regular life as best they could. Gretchen behind bars and a tidy settlement fee in all of their bank accounts had lead to a mass relocation from all eight of them. Fatin, Dot, Shelby and Leah all living together in one apartment block whilst, Nora, Rachel, Toni and Martha had all agreed upon another only 10 minutes away. 

It had taken some effort, deciding who would live where and with whom. They split each into fours for convenience, rent being cheaper and none of them wanting to fly through their money. Toni felt Martha and her should stay together, Shelby opting out of living with them to allow their own dynamic to flourish and give her and Toni time to settle into their own. It worked well, Fatin crafting her influencer persona with her new found celebrity status ergo the island, with the rest of the girls attending colleges or working respectively. It being saturday, however, meant Toni would swing by early morning to hang out with the other girls, but more specifically, Shelby, giving Martha space and getting out of the twins hair. 

As the white door opens, Toni greets Fatin, smirking slightly in her red hoodie, smothered by her mother’s jacket. 

“Fucking christ, it’s LA how are you not boiling?” 

“Swag, baby” Her smirk faltering into a poorly constrained laugh. 

“Cringe, oh my fucking god, if you ever say that again...” 

Toni moves passed her briskly, nodding her head slightly at Dot in greeting 

“Hey dude.” Dot says, pouring the eggs onto two adjacent plates. “Breakfast?” 

“Yeah, yeah, just give me a sec.” She replies, taking her jacket off and throwing it onto the couch. “Shelb up?” 

“Go see.” The larger girl simply says, laying the breakfast out as Fatin picks at the eggs, earning a light smack to the wrist. “Not yet!”

“It’s weird she’s usually the first one up.” Toni verbalises to no one in particular.

“She seemed tired last night, I think she’s kind of stressed about school or... I don’t know” 

Taking the tip of her knuckle, finger curled slightly, she raps gently at the large door to Shelby’s room. A fine juxtaposition to how she knocked on the apartment one.

“Babe?” Upon no answer she softly creaks it open, greeted with wildly strewn blonde hair amongst the white bed sheets. 

The bed was large, engulfing most of Shelby, much larger than any bed Toni had ever had. Toni smiles to herself, thinking fondly of the princess lifestyle Shelby affirmed for herself, albeit subconsciously. 

“Hi baby.” The athlete starts, rubbing gently up the blondes back to ease her awake. 

The texan mumbles, thick with sleep, sounding disgruntled and particularly un-Shelby. “Breakfast is ready if you want... or-“ Toni flicks the sheet back, and, as gracefully as she can, climbs under the covers to pull Shelby closer to her. “We could cuddle” 

The blonde instinctively draws herself in to the brunette, letting her head rest upon her lap. Toni lets her fingers fall through the blonde hair, comforting her more awake. She kisses the top of her head whilst slowly tracing her fingers from the top of her forehead then around her ear. 

“Missed you.” Shelby speaks into her leg as Toni continues playing with her hair. 

“I missed you more.” She smiles back affectionately, not that the other girl could see, eyes still closed but the inflection was rife within her voice.

“Do you want breakfast? Dot made eggs.”Shelby eases herself off of Toni’s lap, sitting up straight rubbing her forearm to her eyes. She huffs a slight breath, reminiscent of a wince and the action doesn’t go unnoticed by Toni. 

“You all good?” A tentative hand now positioned on the blondes thigh. 

“Yeah- yeah, just a slight headache, but it’s nothing, just need to drink some water is all.” She replies, allowing herself to fully wake up. 

She looked beautiful Toni thought; slightly dazed from her slumber, hair tousled and baggy t-shirt with nothing else, she still looked like a barbie doll. 

Taking the blondes hand, Toni puts it to her lips, scattering it with kisses. “God, I really missed you”

Shelby smiles to herself, letting herself be dragged to the kitchen.

“And much like her main man she rises from her tomb!” Fatin calls between bites of breakfast. Toni snickers, still dragging a slightly bewildered Shelby now on her feet. 

Shelby takes her seat at the smallish table, seemingly quiet to her usual exuberance. The sound of the faucet shutting off cuts her from her fog as Toni brings over a glass of water and two white tablets. 

“Wild night?” Fatin jokes, earning a short smile from Shelby. 

“No, no, just a headache. It started last night and I thought it would clear up by morning but..” A gentle sigh before she’s swallowing the two pills and sipping slowly at her water. 

“Maybe you’re coming down with something?” Dot suggests from the other side of the table 

“Mmm, maybe, might just be stress. School.” The blonde simply put, remaining quiet and picking at the food in front of her.

After an easy half an hour of back and forth banter, Dot announces she has to pick a few items up from the store.

“Mind if I come with?” Shelby begins, “fresh air might be what I need”

“Sure, of course” The girl agrees, clearing her plate and moving it to the kitchen sink. 

“Baby, you need anything?” Shelby says, turning to Toni. 

“Nah, I’m good, but if you see anything i’d like, surprise me.”

“Filthy.” The cello player states bluntly.

“Shut the fuck up.” Toni swats from her seat, laughing earnestly.

It was not in fact what Shelby needed. The slight breeze hitting her with much more force than needed making her shiver despite the raging LA sun. After retrieving what they needed from the store, Shelby drags her feet behind Dot as the larger girl speaks on the phone, sounding work related. Reaching the apartment felt like a lifetime, her headache pounding between her eyes and an ache beginning to hatch in her limbs. 

Entering, Toni and Fatin were sitting on the couch laughing back and forth at whatever was on Fatin’s phone. Dot places the bag on the floor and begins unloading the items. 

Trudging to the sofa, Shelby hands her girlfriend a bottle of orange gatorade, which she takes excitedly. Taking a sip, “Ugh, this is why I love you, thank you”. Shelby says nothing but smiles politely as Toni repositions herself to allow the girl to sit in between her legs. Fatin fumbles for the remote, finding some crappy sitcom as easy background noise. 

The rest of the girls chat amongst themselves, not noticing the door opening until Leah was approaching them. 

The girls greet her, talking casually about her whereabouts and what she’d been doing. Wrapped up in conversation, Toni finds herself alerted slightly as she feels the girl in her lap shudder. 

“Hey, you ok? Are you shivering?” The brunette turns Shelby to face her, her teeth clattering together and pale face gaunt. 

Clearing her throat, she responds “I’m fine, I probably just need to sleep it off” 

“How’s your head?”

“Hurts still, the walk didn’t really help, I might take a nap, actually.” 

“Yeah babe, probably best if you do if you’re not feeling great” Toni urges, guiding the girl off her lap and letting her stumble to her room.

“What’s up with her?” Leah questions, Fatin fussing amongst her, pulling her to the sofa where the rest of the girls sat listening disinterestedly to the tv. 

“She’s sick I think..” The athlete admits, the worry is evident in her voice, however, as she pontificates over her girlfriends condition. 

“Hey, she’s ok, I promise - a few days rest and she’ll be good as new, she’s a fighter and we all know it” Fatin tries in comfort. 

A couple hours pass with the girls watching whatever crap was blaring from the TV, intercepting it’s concession with whatever topic felt relevant to them at the time. Checking her phone for the umpteenth time, she stares at the time ‘9:00PM’, or rather, it stares at her. Toni finds herself increasingly anxious; finding anyway to let herself go to Shelby’s room. The other girls seem to sense this in her, having come accustomed to everyone’s tics, and let her pick herself off of the leather couch and towards her girlfriends room. After a gentle knock, Toni finds herself entering Shelby’s room, looking over the lump within the sheets as it shivers with fervour.

Toni touches a delicate hand to her forehead, feeling the radiating heat with a slight shock. She slights her hand away from Shelby, taking in the heat and worrying of her state. The blonde mumbles somewhat at the removal of contact, shifting in the sheets and exhaling from her nose slightly. 

“Ok.” Toni murmurs comfortingly, Shelby manoeuvring in a way reflective of her pain. Toni dips herself into the covers, curling Shelby into herself as she grants them both a permissible lullaby of physicality to fall asleep. 

Cries echo through the room as Toni feels Shelby wriggle against her, startled awake she mounts herself still, holding onto Shelby as she listens to the pained yelps.

“Hey.. hey, hey. You’re ok, it’s ok. Shelbs. Shelby...”

The texan launches herself forward, sitting upwards and gasping for breath and rubbing her forehead for loose hairs. A groan emerges from her lips as she looks on disoriented. 

“I’m gonna-“ stopping herself the blonde leaps from the bed, hurling herself towards the en-suite and crashing to her knees besides the toilet bowl. Positioning herself haphazardly, she begins to remove the contents of her stomach.

Toni pulls herself from the sheets, making her way over and rubbing the girls back softly.

“Let it out, baby, you’re ok.” She soothes.

As they remain, Toni feels her girlfriends forehead and neck, feeling it much too hot not worry. 

“Babe, your fever is crazy.” She worries, letting herself reach for the girls body and remove her shirt, exposing her to the cooler air being blasted from the vent.

“Arms up.” she mutters under her breath, letting her pull the top off of Shelby as she feels the girl rest her head on the chilled porcelain. 

Finding Shelby to be finished, with effort Toni moves them both back to bed, tears collecting in the ducts of Shelby’s eyes with continuous but light cries of pain for her pride at the act of vomiting.

“You’re fine.” The brunette promises, running a finger up over her arm and into her hair, allowing her hand to rest gently at the base of her head collecting the hair in a soothing gesture as she kisses her eyelids. As the other girl settles slightly, Toni takes to the bathroom. Taking a face cloth from inside the mirror cabinet she runs it under cold water for a minute, wringing it out moderately.

“Here baby, this should help.” She takes the cloth and wipes the girls forehead moving down to her pinked cheeks and then across to the base of her neck dabbing lightly, Shelby shivering at its contact.

“Cold.” She moans.

“I know, I know but your fevers scaring me a little. You’re good, you’re okay.”

She lets the cloth rest back on her forehead not before flipping it over to the colder side looking on worriedly, it hurt her to see her girl in this state.

Pained heaved breaths escape the Texans mouth as Toni allows herself to guide the girl back to sleep; at the sound of her even breaths, Toni lets out a baited sigh as she grants her body permission to fall asleep too.

A rattling sound forces her awake, in her confusion Toni slowly perks herself up, relinquishing in the previous night, she grounds herself. Shelby’s deep coughs turn her head as she glances upon the blonde girl, a nasty cough encompassing her body and making Toni glimpse to her. 

Taking one hand up and down the girls back and the other to wipe the sleep from her eyes, she huffs. The blonde clears her throat with a grimace and sinks back into the pillows.

“That’s a cough.” 

“Mm.”

“Feel any better since last night?”

As if to speak for her, the same nasty cough rears it’s venom; curling in on herself in her misery and sniffing wetly into her wrist, Shelby says nothing.

“Take that as a no then.” The athlete gripes, swinging her legs out from under the sheets and over the side of the bed. She lets loose a yawn and stretches her arms out, rolling her shoulders and tilting her neck either side with a crack. Making her way to the door, a weary mumble catalyses from the bed.

“Say again baby?”

“Don’t go.” It’s a feeble utterance into the pillow.

Toni moves back to the bed, tracing a finger to the sick girls hairline as Shelby shuffles closer seeking warmth.

“I’m gonna get you some water and meds and... shit.”

“Shit?” 

“Yeah... some shit.” They both let out a short laugh with small smiles gracing either girls face. From the action, deep spasms catch in Shelby’s chest. 

“Doesn’t sound great, Shelb.” Her eyebrows knit together pensively. “Are you congested?”

She punctuates with a sniffle. “Little.”

“Okay, I’m gonna get you your shit.” She Hops out the bed and to the kitchen where Fatin was making something.

“Fuck, it’s noon already?” Toni asks, manoeuvring the kitchen for bottles of water and rifling through draws to see if there was anything that could be of use to Shelby.

“Yeah you guys slept in. She okay?” 

“Nah man, not really. She threw up last night and had this crazy fever, now she’s in there hacking up a lung. You got meds or something?” 

“I can check for you. Dot?!”

“Yo!” 

“Do we have sick people things?”

“Uhh... sick people things?”

“Medicine, Dorothy.”

“Maybe? I can check, if not I can hit up the store. How’s she doing? Heard her coughing this morning, fucking brutal man.”

“Not great.”

“There we go, all sorted.” Fatin affirms with a small clap.

Turning back to Toni, Fatin notices the girl wringing her hands in angst, burdened by her worries. Sighing in realisation, she takes the shorter girls wrist, grabbing her attention.

“Hey, it’s just a little flu or something, she just needs rest, she’ll be fine in a few days.” She gives an easy grin, hoping to deliver some comfort to the anxious girl.

“You think? I don’t really know how to take care of people when they’re sick.”

“Ok, easy solution, what did your mom do for you when you were sick?”

Toni just stares.

“Fuck, sorry, my bad.” 

“Yeah, your bad.” The shorter girl flicks the cello players shoulder, but there’s no malice behind it. 

“Sucks that you’re a little orphan, Toni..”

“Yup.”

“Well, we’re all here to help, you’re not on your own. Just comfort her and make sure she has everything she needs, I’m sure she feels gross enough already.” Fatin advises, taking a bite out of her lunch. 

“I can text Leah actually, she went to that coffee shop near the boulevard to write, see if she can pick up what you need.” Dot chimes in. 

An intense coughing broke them from their conversation, all three grimacing at its grandiosity.

“Wow, pageant princess’ got pipes” Fatin remarks. 

“I said it was bad.”

“You said ‘not great’, I didn’t think that meant she had fucking consumption!” 

“I’m just gonna-“ Toni gestures to the waters in her hand and then to the door.

“Please do, our patient needs her naughty nurse.”

“I’m an esteemed doctor, actually!” She calls out as they laugh at the playful ribbing. Toni laughs lightly to herself glad Fatin could cheer her up whilst calming her nerves. 

“Bad news, babe. No meds, no shit, but we do have water.” She places the waters on the bedside table, opening one of them and sitting Shelby up. “Take small sips, okay?” 

She drinks as much as she can, which isn’t much, but she savours the cool liquid as it soothes her burning throat. With a groan, she hands the bottle back to Toni and hugs into the pillow once more.

“What hurts, baby?” Toni relents in a hushed tone, careful of Shelby’s headache.

“Everything.” She whines. “My head, my ears, my eyes, my whole body aches.” 

“What about your throat?”

“That too.”

“I’m sorry you’re so sick, babe.” A sad smile plasters her lightly tan skin. “Leah’s gonna get you some shit from the store and we’re gonna have you all patched up in no time, ‘kay?”

“Lord, I feel awful.” She sighs before sneezing into the crook of her elbow.

Toni feels her heart flutter, despite Shelby’s exhausted disposition she finds the action to be utterly adorable. 

“Yeah, God’s a pretty sick bastard for doing this to you.” She tries to joke but Shelby doesn’t have it in her to really reply.

A couple hours pass with Toni still doting on Shelby, an old packet of Fatin’s tissues now on the bedside table and a barely touched piece of toast that Toni had struggled to get Shelby to indulge.

The door hinge squeaks briefly and the clunk of a key turning makes itself present. Leah comes in looking windswept and large bag in hand. 

“I went a little overkill, sorry.” She announces to the apartment.

Toni takes the bag from her, rummaging it’s contents and with a content nod says “No, this is good, thanks Leah.” An appreciative glitter in her eye as she unpacks the myriad of items.

She gets a thermometer, cold medicine, ibuprofen, boxes of tissues and cough drops from the hazardously arranged display now on the kitchen counter, assessing each one as if a geologist would an exotic rock. 

Bunching them up in her grasp, she carries them to Shelby’s room viewing the way she exhibits herself.

“Baby, I have your shit.”

Shelby make herself known, wheezing a little and blowing her nose on a tissue.

“I’m gonna take your temperature, okay?”

She takes the thermometer, brandishing it in her hands and positioning it in Shelby’s mouth, she lets it rest there carefully, handling her forehead delicately as she tries to manifest comfort within her girlfriend.

“I’ve got medicine and also tissues.” She places the boxes of tissues on the bed side table, taking the plate of toast and positioning it on the floor.

With the beep, she removes the thermometer from Shelby’s mouth, glancing upon it and straining her thoughts from the number that reveals itself.

“102.” She speaks to herself. “Not good, babe, that’s a fever right there.”

Shelby just groans to herself, a cough adhering itself to the situation in a begrudging matter. 

“Easy, easy.” Toni hushes, letting herself be known as she tries to soothe the girl.

“I can give you some cold medicine and a few pain killers for now but let me know what I can do.”

“Just be here, please.” More coughs and a reach for the fresh tissues as she tries to relieve her congestion.

Toni feeds her the medicine, seeking solstice in the relief it seems to adhere.

Shelby naps and it’s all Toni can hope for.

She leaves the room as the blonde finds herself away and anointed with her new dream like state. Soft snores emanate from her rigid body, Toni glad to find her at peace somewhat.

The athlete makes herself known to the anointment of girls on the couch and wanders over. 

“Jesus, she’s really come down with something.” Leah verbalises, hearing the malice of Shelby’s previous coughs.

Toni sits down on the opposing couch, trying to collect herself somewhat and letting her thoughts veer off into only her girlfriends condition.

“Yeah, I don’t know, it’s rough though, she’s like, exhausted and like also so sick. It’s rough, you know, to see her so weak.”

“You think you’ll catch it off her?” Dot asks.

“Nah man, I’ve had my flu shot or whatever, but, it’s pretty brutal.” 

The girls agree in tandem, Toni feels a vibration in her pocket, picking it up at the sight of the name.

“Marty, hey.”

“Toni! You’re not back yet, are you gonna come home tonight?”

“Nah, I don’t think so. Shelby’s come down with this mega flu, she’s like, really sick and I’m gonna stay with her for a bit. You doing ok?”

“Oh, that sucks, I hopes she’s ok. Send her my love. Nora made us dinner and really that’s is, nothing new. When are you coming home?”

“When Shelby’s better, I guess.” She thinks, not sure if it’s to affirm Martha or herself.

“Okay, well it’s great that you’re taking care of her but remember to take care of yourself. I love you Toni, goodnight.”

“Yeah, you too Martha. Love you. Goodnight.” She seems vague and detached, hoping the angst translates to her best friend. 

Toni watches TV with the other girls for the rest of the night, laughing at their antics appropriately. Once it reaches evening though, she finds herself fidgeting wanting to see Shelby again.

“Okay, I think it’s time she has some more meds.” She states, letting herself move away from the group of girls. 

She reaches Shelby’s bedroom and hears the girl wheezing in her sleep. Toni’s heart clenches as she’s moves forward, gracing the girls shoulder and placing a chaste kiss on her forehead.

It doesn’t take much to rouse the Texan from her slumber. She’s still wheezing, letting out a grand cough and wiping extensively at her nose. Her cheeks are flushed with fever and Toni takes it upon herself to ease the discomfort prevalent to her girl. 

“Hi, baby, how’re you feeling?”

“The same. Not great.”

“You still feel warm, you ready for more medicine?”

The blonde establishes herself as complacent, letting Toni pour the thick syrup into the lid and presenting it to her. She sips it with a huff, taking it in but not before coughing into her elbow at her bodies rejection.

“Lie with me?” She asks in a voice oh so impossible to resist. Toni lets herself change into her sleep clothes, brushing her teeth and readying herself for the night. After a few minutes, she succumbs to the warmth of the bed and her girlfriend, letting them both drift away in each others occupancy.

Mid dawn, Toni hears the rattling breaths her girlfriend tries to intake, the current oxygen almost seeming like a tease to Shelby in Toni’s mind. She soothes as best as she can, running her hand amidst her Shelby’s aching and wracked body, hoping to vanish any pain in her midst.

A few days pass and the other girls are still apprised of Shelby’s sickness. The coughs reverberating the entirety of the apartment and presenting no guise in renunciation.

Amidst the couch and the easy viewing the TV relents, the girls sit, talking animatedly beside themselves. 

A door is heard opening, Shelby’s figure emerging from her depths as she makes her way towards the girls, blanket wrapped hastily around her shivering silhouette.

Toni opens herself up, greeting the other girl and allowing her to collapse into her.

“Hey, how are you?”

“A little better.” Its congested and croaked. “My headaches less menacing and I’m sick of being in that bed.”

Toni tries to kiss her but Shelby dodges. Toni frowns in her direction.

“I don’t want you to get sick.”

“It’s been three days, babe, I doubt you’re contagious at this point.”

“Still.”

The other girls integrate her imperceptibly into the conversation; Shelby letting herself cough or sniffle into a crumbling tissue as she tries to peruse the brain fog and answer diligently. 

With that, Shelby finds herself increasingly exhausted from the conversion, wishing to sleep once more and trying to scramble herself off of her girlfriends lap.

“You tired, baby? We can go to bed if you want, you’re still not better.”

Shelby nods a little more passionately than she’d like to let on, Toni understands though and lets herself guide the both of them back to bed. The other girls chant out a goodnight and they both acknowledge it graciously despite Shelby’s exhaustion.

A fine lather of tissues overflowing the trash can and displaced products greet them as they enter the room. Shelby lets her aching joints sink into the welcoming gesture that the bed presents.

Toni readies herself for bed, changing and spending a few minutes in the bathroom before existing and aligning herself with Shelby. 

Shelby lets out a few agonising coughs and blows her nose empty on a tissue, sneezing thrice and bringing a hand to her now unbearable headache.

“Get comfy, I’m not going anywhere.” Toni breathes into her temple.

Shelby repositions herself, her breath stalling as it catches in her pained throat and snuggling into the safety of Toni.

“Baby?” Shelby breathes.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for taking care of me. I love you.” Is all she manages.

“I love you too, baby, and I’d do it again and again, you’re my baby, I just want you to be okay.”

“I will be.”

“I know, just be gentle, you’ll be okay soon.”

And with that, Toni places a firm but loving kiss to Shelby’s forehead, letting them lie comfortably and drifting off to what she hopes will be a peaceful slumber.

**Author's Note:**

> hi! i really hope u liked it somewhat. leave a comment or kudos because it will make me happy even it’s it dumb or stupid it will still make me happy and make me smile. thank u so much and happy days to u!!! :-)


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